How do you define the scope and boundaries of functional requirements for a website?

2 Define the user roles and scenarios

The next step is to define the user roles and scenarios, which are the different types of users who will interact with the website and the situations in which they will use it. The user roles and scenarios should reflect the real-world behaviors and expectations of the users, and should cover the most common and critical use cases. For example, the user roles and scenarios of an online bookstore website could include a customer who wants to browse, search, and buy books, a seller who wants to manage inventory and orders, and an administrator who wants to monitor and update the website.

3 List the functional requirements

The third step is to list the functional requirements, which are the specific features and functions that the website must provide to support the user roles and scenarios. The functional requirements should be written in a concise and consistent way, using simple and unambiguous language. They should also be categorized and prioritized according to their importance and dependency. For example, the functional requirements of an online bookstore website could include a shopping cart, a payment system, a search engine, a rating and review system, and a dashboard.

4 Validate and verify the functional requirements

The fourth step is to validate and verify the functional requirements, which are the processes of checking that the functional requirements are complete, correct, feasible, and testable. The validation and verification should involve the feedback and approval of the users and stakeholders, as well as the review and testing of the developers and testers. For example, the validation and verification of the functional requirements of an online bookstore website could include user surveys, stakeholder interviews, prototyping, peer review, and unit testing.

5 Document and communicate the functional requirements

The final step is to document and communicate the functional requirements, which are the activities of recording and sharing the functional requirements with the relevant parties. The documentation and communication should follow a standard format and structure, such as a functional requirements specification (FRS) document, and should include details such as the purpose, scope, assumptions, constraints, risks, and dependencies of the functional requirements. For example, the documentation and communication of the functional requirements of an online bookstore website could include a FRS document, a wireframe, a user manual, and a presentation.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?